Visiting Student Program

The Visiting Student Program offers eight awards per year to support Chinese students for an academic year of courses in Western philosophy with a focus on values and virtues. Students will be placed at four American institutions: the University of Notre Dame, Baylor University, Calvin College, and Hope College. We reserve the right to assign students to the various universities/colleges. All successful candidates are to be in residence frommid-August until the end of May.This is not a dissertation research program; visiting students are expected to take at least three courses per semester. Fellowships will cover airfare, insurance, fees, books, room and board. The goal is to give future Chinese professors a deeper acquaintance with the Western philosophical tradition and its approaches to values and virtues. Because of visa-related complications, the program prohibits spouses coming along for the year of study.

Application Materials

1.Letter of Introduction. Tell us about your background, education, career goals and how you think a year of study in the United States might assist you.Please include a recent photograph of yourself.Email letter and photo to Nellie Kooistra (nmk5@calvin.edu) by September 21, 2010.

2.Essay Test. You will be given an essay test on September 26, 2010. The test will be conducted in an exam-like atmosphere: in a classroom with no access to secondary literature or internet. We assess your English skills, ability to understand an argument, and critical skills. Your exam will be typed, collected, and returned to us by the proctor of the exam. Your university’s representative will notify you of the time and location of the exam.Plagiarism will not be tolerated. If a test is plagiarized, all of the candidates from that institution will be disqualified.SeeProctoring Instructions

3.Interview. Interviews will be heldfor selected candidateseither in person or by telephone. Interviews will be conducted October 21-25, 2010.

Successful applicants will be notified by November 15, 2010.

Program Director:Kelly James Clark, Department of Philosophy at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI 49546. Email:kclark@calvin.edu.


The Visiting Student Program Fellowships are funded by the Templeton Foundation.

http://www.calvin.edu/academic/philosophy/chinavirtues/